WillEast

I have been a spiritual seeker for about 15 years. I grew up a Catholic but started to form doubts about the Church beliefs. In my early 20's( 37 now ), I started to explore many different religious groups including Buddhism, Sikh religion, Hinduism and others. I am not sure what path is right for me. How would I know when I find my spiritual path?

Hi All, What happened to the website a couple of months ago? I couldn't access it. I enjoy this site and was worried I would never see it again. -Bill

Thank you. I appreciate the community here and the Sikh religion because there is much depth to the teachings. Your post helps to explain some of my past experiences. I have noticed that in meditation I need to first calm the mind through out loud chanting and then can move on to whispering and eventually mental repetition followed by complete silent contemplation. I do have some followup questions: What is the difference between saas graas and saas saas?. If possible you can provide a link to eliminate explaining something that is in another thread or site. I tried searching the net but couldn't find many explanations. Thank you.

I have been a spiritual seeker for quite some time and appreciate the spiritual tradition of the Sikh religion. I would like to hear from others what meditation techniques you have found helpful for spiritual progress. I have learned about the Waheguru meditation. Is it ok to repeat the word silently? Other techniques would be appreciated as well. Thank-you.

Yes, your comment on carving out our own path resonates with me. People often ask me what I have learned from studying all of these different groups. There may be many different answers but one clear thing is that whatever path we have is unique irrespective of the particular religion we belong to. Still, I do identify with some paths more than others; maybe from past lives, maybe from current life influences. For now, I actually do study a few different paths and sometimes combine elements to suit my individual needs. I will explain. I tend to have shorter attention span and chanting out loud for about 20 minutes allows my mind to focus more. I will then usually start Simran for another 20 minutes repeating one mantra. I learned some suggestions from a book Bandginama by Sardar Raghbir Bir that I picked up from a local gurudwara. I find this usually works well. I also study from other texts such as the Bhagavad Gita that address previously mentioned questions that I have asked. Sometimes during the day I will incorporate prayer. I may say a prayer for the safety of animals I see near a busy road or for personal situations.

I grew up a Catholic but later on began a long spiritual search to address to address questions such as Is there soul?; Do we reincarnate?; What is the purpose of the Samsara? . I explored Buddhism, Hare Krishnas and Eckankar more recently. It was through Eckankar that I grew interested in exploring the source teachings of Sikhism. I have adopted some beliefs such as being a vegetarian for the past 12 years and practicing daily meditation but want to continue to make progress through fellowship with others. I can't say right now where my path will lead but appreciate any things I can learn from others and am grateful for the presence of this community here. As for your question about people to chill with, yes I do think social activity is a part of human existence but I channel it through association of like minded people from whom I can learn. So while friendship is a part of it, I am focused at this stage on spiritual progress as well. Thank you for your reply, -William

I am looking to make spiritual progress.

Hi all, I am a long time spiritual seeker who has become somewhat familiar with the Sikh path through a local Gurudwara. I am also a vegetarian of 15 years who has been somewhat lost spiritually and looking for a path. I feel a deep sense of peace at the Gurudwara and want to learn more about this path. I suppose part of the reason I have become lost is that there are many different groups out there and I am not sure which one is right for me. I would like to hear what others have to say about their experiences growing in the Sikh religion. I have seen some Sikh leave to join splinter groups and am curious if there is a deep spiritual tradition still alive or if it has become more of an institution. Does the Sikh religion want to expand outside of the Indian community to attract other non-Indians?